Jeune Street

St John's College, Oxford

I remember Baroness Haleh Afshar striding up to me, saying: "I just don't think you can compare the situation of the Baha'is in Iran to women and Kurds." I was stunned. We were at the launch in Parliament of a report on the persecution of women, Kurds and Baha'is in Iran co-authored by Tahirih Danesh and myself.

She continued, "The women and Kurds at least have political space to organize. They can protest for their rights. The Baha'is don't even legally exist as a group!" I replied that there is much to be gained, both analytically and politically, by comparing the experiences of groups in Iran by highlighting their common claims to basic citizenship rights under the law. But in a way, Baroness Afshar was right: the situation of the Baha'is in Iran is unique because they are categorically excluded from legal personhood under the law. There are few similar cases in the modern world.

To most close observers it is clear that the condition of many marginal and vulnerable groups in Iran has been worsening in the past couple of years. The Human Rights Activists in Iran has just published a report meticulously detailing this deterioration. They have taken up the cause of the Baha'is in the most courageous manner.  Here's how they introduce "the worrisome condition of the Baha'i community in 2008":

Given the increasingly difficult situation of Baha’is in Iran, and an increase in the number of arrests, searches and destruction of Baha’i cemeteries, and also the fact that Baha’i students are denied the right to higher education, the following report seeks to outline and present a list of instances of abuse and persecution. The escalation in the increased pressures and persecution is an extremely worrisome development for the human rights activists. We hope that the officials in charge will take appropriate actions in an expeditious manner to remedy the situation. Given the volatile condition and the security atmosphere against the Baha’is in Iran it is possible that some anti-Baha’i activities have underreported.